Nintendo’s highly anticipated game this year is *Pokemon Legends ZA*, the next installment after the unexpectedly successful *Pokemon Legends Arceus* from 2022. *Arceus* revitalized the *Pokemon* series, which was in need of innovation, and quickly became a fan favorite and one of the most popular *Pokemon* games ever made.
After four and a half years, a proper sequel to that game is finally here. Instead of simply updating the previous game with minor changes, Game Freak and The Pokemon Company have taken a bold new approach with *Legends ZA*. Like *Arceus* before it, *Legends ZA* embraces experimentation and innovation, but in entirely new ways. Here are ten key differences between *Legends ZA* and *Legends Arceus*.
THE SETTING
The biggest difference between *Legends: Arceus* and *Legends ZA* is where the games take place. *Arceus* is set in the wild, untamed areas of the Sinnoh region, challenging players to survive while exploring and learning about Pokémon. *Legends ZA*, however, takes place entirely within Lumiose City, originally featured in *Pokémon X and Y*. This makes *ZA* the first *Pokémon* game ever set exclusively in a city, immediately setting it apart from *Arceus*.
FOCUS ON TRAINER BATTLES
A key difference between this game and *Legends Arceus* is the focus. While *Arceus* centered around catching Pokémon and integrated it into the story, this game prioritizes battling. The main goal is to climb the trainer ranks from Z to A by winning numerous battles across Lumiose City. You can still catch Pokémon in dedicated wild zones within the city, but it’s no longer the primary focus of the game like it was in *Arceus*.
MULTIPLAYER
Unlike *Legends Arceus*, which had limited online trading, the new game, *ZA*, heavily emphasizes multiplayer. While *Legends Arceus* did have online features, they were mainly for trading Pokémon and completing the Pokédex. *ZA* will offer a much more complete multiplayer experience, including PvP battles for 2-4 players with both ranked and unranked options. It seems some Pokémon will even *only* be available by playing the multiplayer battles, showing just how central this feature is to the game.
BATTLE SYSTEM
We’ve discussed the focus on trainer battles, but haven’t explained *how* they’ll work. Similar to *Legends: Arceus*, which significantly changed the battle system with a mix of real-time and turn-based elements and new styles like Agile and Strong, *ZA* takes things even further. For the first time ever in a *Pokémon* game, battles won’t be turn-based. Instead, they’ll be fully real-time, with each attack having a cooldown period. This is a complete overhaul of how *Pokémon* games have traditionally played.
SET AFTER X AND Y
The new game differs from previous titles not just in location, but also in when it takes place in the Pokémon timeline. *Legends Arceus* was set long ago, hundreds of years before the main *Pokémon* games, and showed the beginning of the Sinnoh region. *Legends ZA*, however, seems to be a continuation of the story from *Pokémon X and Y*, which took place in the Kalos region. While we won’t know for sure until the game is released, some characters appear to be returning from *X and Y* and are noticeably older, suggesting the game is set after those events.
MEGA EVOLUTIONS
The new games are set in the Kalos region, and that means Mega Evolutions are back! This popular feature from *Pokemon X and Y* lets Pokemon temporarily become stronger during battles. It’s been almost ten years since Mega Evolutions were last included in a main series game – *Pokemon Legends: Arceus* didn’t have them at all – so their return will significantly change how players build their teams this time around.
DLC
The original *Legends* game performed very well, leading to a sequel that will be a major holiday release. This is a significant improvement over the first game’s launch, which felt rushed and was sandwiched between two other titles. Both Nintendo and The Pokémon Company were surprised by the initial game’s popularity, admitting they hadn’t anticipated such a strong reception. This surprise may explain why, despite being beloved by players and having clear potential for expansion, the first *Legends* never received substantial downloadable content. However, *Legends ZA* will be different – DLC has already been announced, a full month before the game even launches.
SWITCH 2
The original *Legends* game, released on Nintendo Switch in early 2022, didn’t run very well on the system, though it wasn’t as problematic as *Pokemon Scarlet and Violet* would be later. When the Switch 2 launched this year, *Legends Arceus* didn’t receive any updates to take advantage of the new hardware. However, the upcoming *Legends ZA* is different. It’s been specifically enhanced for the Switch 2 and will be released in a special Switch 2 Edition alongside the standard version. In fact, *Legends ZA* will be bundled with the Switch 2 starting this October, replacing *Mario Kart World*. Running *Legends ZA* on the Switch 2 will make it the first *Pokemon* game in over ten years to run at a smooth 60 frames per second at launch – the last time a *Pokemon* game consistently hit 60fps was *Pokemon Emerald* on the Game Boy Advance back in 2005.
THE STARTERS
So, every *Pokemon* game starts the same way – you get to choose one of three starter Pokemon when you begin your adventure. The specific Pokemon change with each new game, but they always follow that classic Fire, Water, and Grass type combo. For example, in *Legends: Arceus*, I could pick Oshawott, Cyndaquil, or Rowlett. Now, in *ZA*, it’s Chikorita, Totodile, and Tepig. I’m really hoping these *ZA* starters get some cool new forms or Mega Evolutions, just like Oshawott, Cyndaquil, and Rowlett’s final evolutions did in *Legends: Arceus* – that would be awesome!
POKEMON HOME
Similar to other recent Pokémon games on the Switch, Pokémon Legends ZA will work with Pokémon Home, but with some important differences. Pokémon Home support won’t be available when the game first launches; it’s expected to be added sometime in 2026. More significantly, Pokémon transferred from Pokémon Home to ZA might not be able to be sent back. Nintendo and Game Freak explain that the game’s data structure will change Pokémon when they enter ZA, likely due to the new battle and stat systems. This could make them incompatible with other Pokémon games. So, think carefully before transferring Pokémon into ZA, as you may not be able to get them back.
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2025-10-16 18:42